Document photographing machine



July 28, 1942., R. STUART 2,291,006

DOCUMENT PHOTOGRAPHING MACHINE Filed July 16, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l INV ENT OR.

7 m R i/ W 1? 75 BY I 7 ATTORNEY.

' controlling the. camera.

I Patented July 28, 1942 i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DOCUMENT rnorooaarnmc. moms.

Robert smart, Forest Hills, N. 2. Application July 16, 1940, Sean N6. 345,151

1 Claims. invention relates to document photoanother object of the invention is to feed documents by a pair or transparent belts into position to be photographed; another object of the invention is to provide for feeding and conveying the documents to the photographic positiom' another object of the invention is to provide a pair of conveyor belts for moving documents with an angularly disposed mirror between the belts for reflecting the image of the document to the camera; another object of the invention is to provide a conveyor system for conveying documents to be photographed with light responsive means operated by the document for Other objects of the invention will be more particularly understood fromthe following specification and the accom- I panying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation of the photographing machine with the light housing shown in section; Fig. 2 is a cross section on line 2-4 of Fig. 1

and including the optical system;

Fig.3 is a plan view of the mirror support used in Fig. 2; 1

Fig. 4 is an end view of the mirror support shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a plan view showing the document feeding table and part of the top belt, and

Fig. 6 is a side view of one pair of the belt wheels and the conveyor belts.

Fig. 7 isa diagram of the invention applied to feeding a transparency to a projector;

Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the feeding mechanism used in Fig. '7;

Fig. 9 is a section on line H of Fig. 8, and

Fig. 10 is a diagram of a modified form of the invention for feeding transparencies to a projector.

- it after it has-been exposed and to provide for carrying forward following subjects as may be providedby anautomatic feed. when the optical 55 It complementary to wheel. I'l carries the belt The document that is exposed to the.

graphing machines and has for an object to proapparatus is located between the sides of a belt, the light is projected through one side of the belt only. The system is fully reversible and may be used for viewing documents in any kind of an optical viewing system.

This invention is shown applied to a machine for photographing bank checks on one, or on both sides, and similar-documents for record purposes. The photograph is usually made on a microfilm by a camera adopted for this purpose so that a large number of records can be preserved on a small sized film. The invention comprises an upper transparentbelt mounted on a pair of spaced belt wheels and a similar, lower, transparent belt mounted, on a pair of belt wheels. The upper wheels are mounted in staggered relation to the lower belt wheels and the adjacent surfaces of the belts are brought into contact under pressure by placing the belt wheel axes somewhat closer than the diameter of the belt wheel. A motor operated mechanism drives the belt wheels at the same speed so that the engaging surfaces of the belt wheels move in the same direction and at the same speed. The documents are fed between the engaging belts and are carried forward into the photographic field to be-photographed and to be discharged at the opposite end of the belts.

A photographic field for the documents is provided between the belt wheels and between each belt. .This field is preferably protected by a lightproof housing through which the belts move. The photographic field comprises a pair of angularly disposed mirrors in the lightproof housing which are arranged to refiect upon the back and the front of the document as it is moved forward through this field by the engaging belts. The document is suitably illuminated and the photographic camera is located at right angles to the edge of the belts and in focus with the refleeting mirrors.

The camera is preferably operated in synchronisin with the movement of the document to the photographic field. For this purpose a light beam with a photo-electric cell and an electric control is provided for the camera; the light beam is interrupted by the document in the worm i5 and worm wheel it, drives the belt wheel ill. The shaft i4 also, through worm l8 and worm wheel i9, drives the belt roller 20. Wheel 25 and wheel 22 complementary to wheel carries the upper belt 24. Wheels 2| and 22 have their bearings mounted in the equalizer 23 which is held under tension by spring 26 so that the tension on each of the belts is equalized. The shaft of roller 22 may be mounted in a slotted guide 230 and a corresponding mounting may be provided for the wheel 2| so that movement of the axis of the wheels 2| and 22, under the action of spring 26, shall be in a substantially straight line.

It will be noted that the rollers l1 and 20 are staggered relative to each other and the rollers 2| and 22 are correspondingly staggered. This permits the upper set of rollers to be brought closer to the lower set of rollers than the vertical distance separating the axis of these rollers. By this construction roller 20 depresses the upper section a of the lower belt at 21 and roller 2| depresses the lower side of 24a of the upper belt 'at 28. This brings the contacting surfaces of the belts into engagement under pressure. The belts 24 and 25 are made of transparent material such as cellulose acetate so that the document can be photographed through these belts. Usually belts of this kind are relatively thin and smooth and in order that the belts may have a proper grip on the driving rollers I1 and 20, these rollers may be constructed as shown in Fig. 6 in which they are provided with a-relatively soft rubber tire 15 which increases the friction drive of these rollers.

A light housing 6| is provided between the belt wheels with a rear cover at 63 and with an opening in front towards the camera. This housing is continued between the belts by the members 62 which terminate at the entering rollers 28 and the leaving rollers 30 which rollers maintain the belts flat and straight in the photographic field. The photographic field comprises the mirror 32 located between the upper belt wheels and the mirror 33 located between the lower belt wheels and angularly positioned as shown in Fig. 2 to reflect upon the document 3| as it passes through this field. The document 3| is illuminated by the lights 3535 and reflectors 26-48 to produce a reflected image of one side of the docurangement shown in Fig. 1, the documents are fed semi-automatically by an operator moving the document into position to be engaged by the feed roller which carries it forward between the conveyor belts. A feed roller 12 is rotated on the cradle 86, 61, which cradle is pivoted at 68 to the feed table 65 upon which the documents 14 are placed. When the cradle 66, 61, is depressed the roller 12 is depressed against the action of spring 12' until it engages the belt 21 on the wheel l1 and by friction is rotated at the same surface speed as the belt. The roller 12 is provided with end rollers 10 and 1| which are arranged to engage the roller |1 outside of the plane of belt 21 so that the direct friction of the roller |1 may be used to rotate the feed roller 12. The operator moves the top document from the pile 14 against roller 12 and depresses the cradle 66, 61, which feeds this document forward between the engaging belts to the photographic field and to be discharged into the tray 15 at the end of the belts.

The camera mechanism is operated by the light beam c from the light source 5| shielded by 52 and projected by lens 53 upon the photocell 54. This light beam passes through suitable apertures in the light housing 62 at right angles to the light in the photographic field. The light influences the photo-cell 54 which includes the usual amplifier, not shown in the drawings, and through connection 55 energizes the translating device, or magnet, 58. Magnet 56 operates armature 83, pivoted at 85, and through hook 82 when the magnet is energized the film III is moved forward one frame to make a new exposure. When the magnet 56 is deenergized the spring 84 moves the hook 82 back to a new position to again engage film ll for another step when 56 is again energized. In this latter movement the armature 83 is brought into engagement with an arm 88 of the shutter mechanism .1 of the camera to produce the exposure at the proper time.

The light source BI is mounted on a standard 60 and the photo-electric cell 54 is mounted on a standard 59; these standards are connected rigidly by the rod Bl, making a frame which slides ment on the mirror 32 and a reflected image of the opposite side of the document on mirror 23. The camera 31, adjustably mounted on the shaft 39. is focused by 28 upon the mirrors 22 and 33 and if the camera is operated when the document is in the photographic field, a photograph of both sides of the document will be obtained.

The mirrors 32 and 32 are hinged together as indicated at 40 and supported by a hinge pin 4| which is provided with lugs 42 at the outer ends, one of which is slidably mounted on rod 43 and the other is slidably mounted on'rod 44 and the rods 42 and are rigidly supported by 45. This permits the mirrors 22 and II, when the cover 63 is removed, to be slid back from the zone of the belts and their angular relation to be adjusted as desired. Friction discs are provided at 46 and 41 to hold the mirrors in their adjusted positions. In Fig. 4 the mirror 22 has been moved back to an inactive position and the angle of mirror 32 has been changed so that only one side of a document is photographed by this arrangement. when necessary the camera is adjusted on its support I! to correspond with the adjustment of mirror 23', Fig. 4.

The documents may be fed to the conveyor belts automatically by a sheet feeding mechanism arranged to do this one at a time. In the aron bar 51. By sliding this frame on the bar 51 the position in which the light beam c is influenced by the document is adjusted so that the operation of the camera can be timed to photograph documents of different sizes when they are substantially centered in the photographic field.

The operation of the camera mechanism will be understood by considering the established light beam 0 as energizing magnet 56 which thereby moves the fllm II to a new exposure position and upon the movement of the document between the belts in the photographic field to interrupt the light beam 0 magnet 58 is deenergized, and the shutter of the camera is thereby operated.

In the arrangement described in Figs. 1 and 2 it is assumed that the camera is capable of takingthe photograph of the document as it moves between the belts with such speed that the detail of the photograph will be fully preserved. This may readily be accomplished by adjusting the speed by which the belts move the document to secure the result. This ispreferred to the use of a mechanism which would stop the document in the photographic field during the exposure.

The projector in. Fig. '7 comprises the light source II, the condenser lens 92, the transparent belts 24 and 28 and the projector lens 28, projecting the image at 93. Belt 24 is mounted on rollers 20 and 22 and the latter is rotated by the handle 94 to move the transparent belts across the optical field. Belt 25 is mounted on rollers I I .and 2I and is shorter than belt 24 so that rollers I1 and 2| can be located to apply pressure to belt 24, parallel therewith. so that the adjacent sides belts 24 and 25 are normally held in engagement as they pass through the optical field. The transparency 34a is placed in a guide 95 to be brought into engagement with the belts 24 and 25 and located opposite the exposure position 34 in the optical field by the movementof handle 94. The pressure of the belts against the sheet holds it fiat and at right angles to the line of projection.

One form of the feeding apparatus is shown in Figs. 8 and 9 in which the arm 95 adjustably. supports the stem 91 of the base 98 which is provided with a slot for the bars 99 and I00 and which bars are slidably held in place by the bolts IOI-IOI. Bar 99 supports the stem I06 of roller 22 and bar I00 supports the stem I01 of roller on which the transparent endless belt 24 is mounted. A spring I02, between the bars 99 and I00, applies tension to the belt. A corresponding .slot is provided in 98 at I08 for a bar supporting stem I03 of roller 2I and a second bar supporting stem I04 of roller I! on which the transparent belt is mounted. The holder 95 is adjustably mounted by stem II'I, secured by a bolt II8 to bar I00. This mechanism is adjustable vertically and transversely by the arm 95 so as to bring the subject into the optical field.

In the arrangement in Figs. 8 and 9 the projected light beam passes through both sections of each transparent belt. The arrangement in Fig. 10 avoids this condition and projects the light only through the belts that are held in engagement with the subject between them. For this purpose the belt 24 passes over rollers 20, 22, Hi and H2 as indicated at H3. The rollers III and. H2 are placed in rear of the projecting apparatus 9| and 92. so that this apparatus is located within the belt and only one portion ofthis belt intervenes between the subject and the projector. The outer belt 25 passes over rollers I l and ill and under tensioning rollers I1 and 2!. One end of this belt H4 is taken up from reel H5 and the opposite end is wound onreel H6. In this application, instead or using the endless belt, a single transparent band is used wound from one reel to another and after it has been wound in one direction it is then reversed by reversing the movement of belt 24.

This mechanism feeds a sheet into an optical field in condition for viewing or projecting and does not require glass plates or other stifiening devices to hold the subject in proper condition.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A document photographing machine comprising a pair of endless belts at least one of which is .of transparent material, each mounted on belt wheels, and having the sides of the belts moving in the same direction placed in contact with each other, means for driving said belts at the same speed, a mirror angularly disposed relative to said belts and located to reflect upon the transparent belt, a light housing for said mirror and belts, rollers forming part of the housing and engaging said belts where they enter and leave the housing to hold the belts in position to grip the document fed between said adjacent belts to pass throughthe field or said mirror, means tor illuminating said belts in said light housin and a camera for photographing the document as reflected in the mirror.

2. A document photographing machine comprising a pair of endless belts of transparent material, each mounted on belt wheels and having the sides of the belts moving in the same direc- 1y connecting said photo-cell and light source,

and means for adjusting the position of said frame relative to the document.

3. A document photographing machine comprising a pair of endless belts of transparent material each mounted on belt wheels and havin the sides of the belts moving in the same direction placed in contact with each other, means for feeding documents between said belts, means for driving said belts at the same speed, a pair of angularly disposed mirrors located between the belt wheels to reflect upon the adjacent sides of the belts, a frame for said pair of mirrors, a shaft parallel with said belts supporting said frame and a slide for said shait, whereby. the mirrors may be removed from between the belts, means for illuminating the document and a camera for photographing the document on the mirrors. was

4. A document photographing machine comprising a pair of endless belts of transparent maplaced in contact with each other, means for feeding documents between said belts, means for driving said belts at the same speed, a pair of angularly disposed mirrors located between the belts to reflect upon the adjacent sides or the belts, a shaft parallel with said belts, airame pivotally mounting'said mirrors on said shaft,

means for adjusting the angle or each mirror on its pivot relative to the belts, means for illuminating the document and a camera for photographing the document on the mirrors.

5. A document. photographing machine comprising a pair 01 endless belts of transparent ma.- terial, belt wheels for said belts supporting one belt upon the top of'the other with the axis of the top belt wheels staggered with relation to the axis of the lower belt wheels, said time being spaced less, than the diameter of; the belt wheels apart to force the side or one belt against the side of the other belt moving in the same direction, a

table for the documents, a cradle with a feed.

ment with the belt wheel as. a document is led to the machine to move the document into engagement with the adjacent belts, and means forphotographing the documents in theirpassage along the belts.

6. Means for locating a sheet in an optical field comprising a first roller on a fixed support, a floating arm, a second roller mounted at the end 0! said arm, a first transparent endless belt mounted on said rollers, a third roller on a fixed support, a fourth roller mounted on the opposite end of said arm, a transparent endless belt mounted on said third and fourth rollers, parallel with the first belt and in contact therewith, a spring connected to said arm intermediate its ends for applying tension to said belts, an optical field traversing said belts where they are in conmounted on said rollers, a third roller on a fixed support, a fourth roller mounted on the opposite end of said arm, a transparent endless belt mounted on the third and fourth rollers parallel with the first belt and in contact therewith, the axes of the adjacent rollers being staggered with relation to each other and being spaced less than the diameter of the rollers apart, a spring connected to said arm intermediate its ends for applying tension to said belts, an optical field traversing said belts where they are in contact, means for feeding the sheet between the sides of said belts in contact and means for moving said belts to move the sheet into the optical field.

ROBERT STUART. 

